1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, control method, and program capable of extending hardware by an USB host connection.
2. Description of the Related Art
In this technical field, USB host connections are exploited for a variety of devices such as USB memories, keyboards, mouse devices, communication dongles, and printers. Even digital multifunction peripherals allow the connection of an increasing number of devices such as an USB memory, keyboard, and card reader, in the same way as PCs. One reason that USB host connections are popular is that the USB host connection is a general-purpose physical I/F (interface) and can be easily used and developed. However, because it is a general-purpose physical I/F, the USB host connection requires a security measure against, e.g., information leakage via an USB memory. Also, careless connection of an USB device may cause an adverse effect such as a virus on a host device. It is important to exclude connection of such a risky device.
As a conventional measure against these problems, the user inactivates a host controller chip which controls an USB host. For example, even Windows® and Linux®, which are general OSs (operating systems), allow disabling or deleting of a host controller driver in order to inactivate a host controller chip which controls all USB host connections. As another method, the user inactivates/deletes a device driver for controlling all kinds of USB devices. A conventional technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-65859 uses a reserved bit present in an USB protocol. When an USB host device is connected, the host inactivates the connection port based on information of the reserved bit.
When using the method of disabling the whole host controller chip at once by a user, a disadvantage may be that even an internal USB host connection may be inactivated undesirably.
The method of disabling each device driver by a user takes much labour. In addition, it is often necessary to inactivate several device drivers at once for reasons of security. This method is therefore inconvenient.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-65859, information needs to be added to a reserved bit, so a USB device to be connected also needs to cope with it. This method cannot exclude connection of an unintended device and is not proper, either.